Health & Fitness Tools

Narcolepsy- One The More Impacting Forms Of Chronic Sleep Disorders

15th October, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

One of the types of chronic sleep disorders which can also significantly have an effect on patients is narcolepsy. This specifically is a neurological syndrome that is characterized by unusual or unexpected sleeping and awaking time that occurs during the day. Among the health community it is usually referenced as EDS or excessive daytime sleepiness. Unlike many other sleep disorders, narcolepsy may come about suddenly, in the course of almost any project as well as anytime of the day. A person could possibly be in the midst of a job appointment, driving, operating machinery and unexpectedly fall asleep.

The majority of us will take approximately 90 minutes to start REM sleep, the rapid eye movement stage. People struggling with EDS are able to instantly fall into the REM stage of the sleep cycle, often through his or her waking periods. Throughout REM sleep we dream and have muscle paralysis which is one of the predominant narcolepsy symptoms.

At this time, scientists have not found the cause of narcolepsy. They’ve made a lot of success in uncovering the gene that they suppose could be related to EDS. They are the genes that produce the chemical hypocretin in the brain that may influence sleeping and awaking times. A less than standard level of the chemical may very well be among the factors.

There are four principal signs of narcolepsy. These are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS); cataplexy, which will usually include loss in muscle use as well as hallucinations and sleep paralysis. People experiencing one or all of these signs document a reduction in power and concentration, loss in memory, bad moods, slurred speech, or lack of ability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up.

With these distinct chronic sleep disorders, the episodes typically are quite short just lasting a few seconds to a few minutes. Men and women commonly recuperate quickly and get back total capacity to maneuver or speak. Certain testing identified as polysomnogram or PSG as well as the multiple sleep latency test or MSLT, has been developed to diagnose narcolepsy and they are typically conducted at sleep disorder clinics.

A PSG test is performed at night, as the individual is usually sleeping and the MSLT is conducted during the day to test the number of EDS events that may take place through a set time limit. These types of assessments can assist in creating remedies for these chronic sleep disorders. At this time scientists have not discovered a cure for narcolepsy but have found a couple of prescription drugs that will decrease the symptoms.

Medical professionals for all those troubled with chronic sleep disorders propose that before recommending a medication, or in addition to medication, the individual try to make certain modifications in their daily activities. Such things as eliminating coffee or other caffeinated drinks, alcohol, smoking, eating heavy meals, developing routine sleep times and restricting naps to ten or fifteen minutes at most, might make a significant difference in this sleep disorder. All of these are options which can be simply carried out and if they deliver the results might be much better than having to take prescription drugs.